Design your life using Design Thinking

"Instead of wondering where your next vacation is, maybe you should set up a life you don't need to escape from." - Seth Godin

When we really think about it, most of us want a life with meaning. DESIGNING your life simply means designing the lifestyle you want to live everyday. It is where living becomes a creative process and not an escape from reality.

Designers use Design Thinking to plan their creation in advance by understanding the user's needs and wants. Designing your life is understanding yourself + what you want out of life by using design thinking.

Designers also know that it's not just about the final product, but the process in making it. They are constantly taking feedback and adjusting their designs accordingly. Design is about problem solving; it can be applied to anything in life whether its career, relationships or personal achievements. Design thinking is a life attitude that makes us fit into the flow of life, not against it. Designing your life isn't about changing who you are, but changing how you live your life.

It starts by understanding yourself and knowing what you want out of life. Life style design will be different for everyone based on their unique experiences + personalities. It is not about setting goals but designing the person who will go after them.

Design thinking is accepting reality, understanding that no one's perfect + getting better everyday by making small changes of improving yourself. Designing your life isn't planning everything out in advance. It involves letting go of the life you planned for-to design the life that works for you and what you really want.

It means living an intentional lifestyle based on your own values + desires. Remember, your life isn't a perfect picture of what it's going to be, it is about constantly working towards your goals. Designing your life using design thinking is developing yourself as an individual so you can evolve with the world around you. Designing your life is the challenge to always ask "what if" and continuously be open to possibilities.

Here are some tips that have helped me in thinking like a designer with my own life.

1. You can't solve problems with the same thinking that created them. Design a solution for it. Observe your thought patterns. What will it take to change them?

2. Design your own happiness by creating a life that brings you joy everyday.

3. Design new perspectives on old problems by constantly learning new things and taking in different opinions.

4. Design the life you want by living your life right now. Designing your life is about living with intention and not getting stuck in the past or what could have been... Design it today + live it everyday like its a masterpiece.

5. Give yourself small challenges daily and then reward yourself for them. Design small rituals that produce big results; it's a great way to take conscious action.

6. Design your life by enjoying the process. Design long term goals with short term ones so you can constantly check-in on how close you are getting to them.

7. Read, read, read + research topics that will expand your mind. Design yourself by constantly learning new things; it's a great way to stay inspired + motivated everyday.

8. Design your life by setting realistic expectations, letting go of perfection + accepting that there are some things you can't change.

9. Design your life with patience, not pressure. Design your life by living in the moment + taking every opportunity that comes your way.

10. Design your life by being open + flexible. Design your life by living it rather than just existing in it.

Design thinking is not just for literal creative or technical solutions. It is for your own life too! So get busy designing!